Beneficial effects of palatable guar and guar plus fructose diets in diabetic children

This randomized cross-over study evaluates the effects of extended, guar and guar + fructose diets on the metabolic balance of children with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). We studied 22 children; mean age 12.2 years, mean duration of diabetes 4.4 years. The diet was supplement for three weeks with guar in palatable form (5% of daily carbohydrate intake) and with guar + fructose (1 g of fructose/kg body weight, max 30 g/d) for another three weeks. A control group (8 children, mean age 12.3, duration of diabetes 4.3 years) followed the same experimental protocol without guar supplementation. The metabolic balance was assessed by glucosuria index (per cent of tests with less than 1% glucosuria from all urine tests) and measurements of red cell glycohaemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). Serum total and HDL-cholesterol, C-peptide, pancreatic and enteroglucagon were also measured. HbA1c decreased during guar (p less than 0.001) and guar + fructose diet (p less than 0.001). The glucosuria index improved (p less than 0.02) and the serum total cholesterol concentration decreased (p less than 0.02) during the experimental guar diets. Guar in acceptable form and quantity in the diet appears to improve metabolic control of diabetic children.